Four Videos That Show How To Process Your Deer

Deer hunting in Maine provides many Maine families with wild game meat that is high in nutrition, sustainable, free range, wholesome and delicious. As the firearms season on deer continues, the Department wanted to share a new video series to help hunters, new and seasoned alike, navigate the process of taking their own harvested game from the field to the freezer.

There is a great pride in being able to provide your own meat for yourself, your family and your friends. On average, a 150-pound field dressed deer will provide close to 70 pounds of meat. Last year’s deer kill provided over 1.5 million pounds of meat to hunters and their families.

Developed in partnership with Purdue University, this video series features Maine Inland Fisheries and Wildlife staff biologists, wildlife extension specialists from Purdue University, and a meat science manager from PIC (Pig Improvement Company). The series is broken down into 4 separate videos demonstrating key steps: Field Dressing, Hanging & Skinning, Deboning, and Cutting, Grinding & Packaging.

Free handling harvested game workshops are held every year in September by Purdue Extension. If you would like to attend any of the available workshops please contact Jonathan Ferris, Wayne County Extension Director, or Dave Osborne, Ripley County Extension Director. Feel free to view the Purdue Extension Calendar or the Purdue Extension-Forestry and Natural Resources’ Calendar for future scheduled workshops.

The team provides some great tips and techniques to guide a successful hunter interested in processing their own venison, with considerations for food safety, improving the quality of their venison, and packing options.

We highly recommend this video series for those interested in a Culinary Arts degree. Wild game processing requires a few extra procedures to ensure food safety not common to domestic livestock processing. The knowledge gained from this series combined with advanced kitchen training provide a highly marketable skill in a competitive field.

Handling Harvested Game: Episode 1